The British have developed a number of small surgical compends, some of which are deservedly popular. The present work represents such an effort. It is directly aimed at the teaching of surgery to the British student and probably has less value for the American. The art of surgery can surely be advanced by correlation of such reading with experience. The matter is contained in two small handy volumes, which must be convenient to war harassed students. The index, however, should appear in both volumes instead of only in the second. The books contain brief, but lucid and accurate, pictures of usually common surgical conditions and present clear clinical descriptions of many surgical problems. They are aptly illustrated by small sketches. There is no question that in this effort the author has managed to fulfil his intentions. He has a warm style of writing, which is different from the crisp discussion